Why and How to Get a Balanced News/opinion-media Diet

This is your friendly periodic reminder that* we all need to consume a balanced diet of journalism including both** liberal and conservative news/opinion sources.

Things You Hear on NPR: Benghazi Investigations Found ‘no wrongdoing by the Obama administration’

NPR a few days ago, regarding the possibility of a Susan Rice pick for the Joe Biden ticket:

Trends

June 13th, 2073

REPORTER:  Yes as you can see I’m here at the site of the statue to the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., in the state capital, where protesters are forming a crowd around the pedestal.  Here we are, beg your pardon—yes, you there, tell us about your protest?

Things You Hear on NPR: No Idea How Anyone Could Think DACA Was Unconstitutional

NPR on DACA:

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, as it’s officially known, has broad support across the political spectrum. The majority of Democrats and Republicans tell pollsters that they support protections for immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children — called DREAMers.

Slavery, Prostitution Ring in ‘Massage Parlors’ across Four Counties in Florida Busted

Bad news, and good news: As you’ll have heard, there is still slavery in the world, and there is still (or again) slavery in America, operating in the shadows. The good-news story is that some of the human traffickers have been busted.

A local sheriff, on the investigation he led:

Well, that’s one of the reasons why this sex trafficking continues at such a pace. Invariably, our methodology has been up until we did this here — send a couple of undercover detectives in. They’ll be solicited for sex, will arrest the workers and shut the place down. And the problem goes away, but not really goes away.

A Young Progressive Agrees: Against the Tribalism and Politicization of Our Age

A fascinating alternative perspective from the left, from an Alison Willmore, at Buzz Feed:

Why I’ve Had Trouble Buying Hollywood’s Version of Girl Power

I get the desire to take comfort in cheerful stories of women’s triumph, from Ocean’s 8 to On the Basis of Sex. But in 2018, I haven’t found them very comforting.

Quick Thoughts on Identity Politics, Definition, History: Goldberg, Obama

When President Obama and the founding editor of National Review Online agree on something, it might be true.

Identity politics are bad.

Goldberg:

. . . Obama is right . . . . Slavery and Jim Crow were indisputably manifestations of identity politics. America’s system of legalized racism was just another form of aristocracy under a different name. And as such, it was a violation of the best ideas of the Founding. Perhaps the single most radical thing about the American Revolution was the decision to reject all forms of hereditary nobility.

It took longer — far too much longer — to recognize the rights and dignity of all Americans, but the idea that you should take people as you find them, and judge them not as a member of a group but as individuals, remains perhaps the greatest part of the American creed, regardless of whether you’re a liberal or a conservative.

Out: ‘I want to know the truth.’ In: ‘I stand with…’

(Party in power nominates Mr. B.)

Opposition-party senators:  I will oppose this nomination with everything I’ve got.

Things You Hear on NPR: Kavanaugh Guilty until Proven Innocent

Well, this is just embarrassing.  NPR this morning had Kavanaugh supporter Sara Fagen on, but the “interviewer” was quick to respond to everything the guest said with “Although,” followed by various tendentious arguments for the Democrats’ narrative.  This isn’t an interview; it’s a debate.

Penultimately, the NPR interviewer made this brazen argument:

Forced Redistribution Majority of Federal Spending, Deficit

As you listen to commentators talking about “excessive” military spending and the federal budget deficit, this is your friendly periodic reminder that all U. S. military spending amounts to only 16% of federal spending, while forced redistribution represents 59% of federal spending.  In dollar terms, forced redistribution is now the majority of what the federal government does; the federal government is literally a huge forced-redistribution operation with a smaller national-defense side project.

Don’t take my word for it; these numbers are according to the CBPP, which even the left agrees is of the left.

Things You Hear on NPR: If the Person You’re Interviewing Doesn’t Give You Quite the Quote You Wanted, Just Go Ahead and Say It for Him

NPR this morning, “reporting” on immigration policy (getting less subtle in its advocacy for one side and its chosen narrative):

[NPR’s Steve] INSKEEP: So for that symbolic prosecution, they’ve been diverting from drug cases. I get that. But I’m remembering when Jeff Sessions announced this policy. He didn’t say to prosecutors across the country, abandon drug prosecutions. He said prosecute everybody. And if you need more resources, let us know. Have prosecutors been getting more resources to handle these border-crossing cases?

Things You Hear on NPR: Overturning Marriage Laws Something to Celebrate, but Voting Reforms ‘Controversial’

Here’s how NPR began its story today on the upholding of Ohio’s latest voting reform:

An ideologically split U.S. Supreme Court Monday upheld Ohio’s controversial “use-it-or-lose-it” voting law by a 5-to-4 margin.

Here are the corresponding openings of NPR’s top two stories (according to their own measures) about Obergefell, the 2015 Supreme Court decision that forced states to redefine marriage:

Introduction to Conservatism: Four Book Recommendations

I sometimes wonder (and I’m sometimes asked) what I think would be the single best thing to read, what book I would recommend, to introduce someone to the ideas of conservatism for the first time, or to persuade those not yet persuaded.  (To date, I’m not sure I have an answer.  Mark Steyn’s America Alone and Arthur C. Brooks’s Who Really Cares—and of course C. S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity—were significant and influential for me, but I’m not sure any of them is a direct answer to that question.)

In a recent interview, Ben Shapiro asked Jonah Goldberg more or less the same question; Goldberg gamely offered some impromptu thoughts on the subject.  Here’s the list:

My Response to Friends Who Believe Supreme Court in Masterpiece Cakeshop Ruled ‘in Favor of Discrimination’

May 2018 Ohio Primary Election Results (Statewide Races)

The state of Ohio has unofficial election results from today’s primaries up at vote.ohio.gov.  With 90% of precincts reporting, though the final vote totals may vary slightly, these are basically how the elections turned out—with margins like these, these outcomes will not change:

After all the hopes on the Democratic side that Kucinich might pull off an upset, Cordray won with a comfortable 60%, despite the crowded field (his five opponents combined got less than 40%).

Mary Taylor Closes Gap with Mike DeWine in Polls (see also update below)

In a January poll, relatively unknown Mary Taylor was 30 points behind Mike DeWine (who already had high name recognition among Ohioans) for tomorrow’s primary for governor.  In a more recent poll, Taylor had closed that gap to only 17 points.

Taylor vs. DeWine: candidate comparison, by the issues (2018 Republican primary for Ohio governor)

Most of what follows is a series of guest posts on the governor’s race, written by fellow Ohioans.  I have not taken the time to duplicate the research and add links to all sources, but I trust the source.  If you have any doubts, I encourage you to do your own research and make up your own mind.

Anyone tired of the negative ads in the governor’s race? Maybe even confused by them? Indeed, it is not possible for them all to be true.

I thought it might be helpful for you to know how I’ve sorted through this with the help of the campaign staff, what I’ve learned, and why I am voting for and supporting Mary Taylor & Nathan Estruth for Governor and Lt. Governor. And thanks for taking the time to read this!

• Taylor vs. DeWine on Abortion/Right to Life

Taylor vs. DeWine, by the issues: taxes

This entry is part of a series of guest posts on the governor’s race.  For the rest of the series, go to:

Taylor vs. DeWine: candidate comparison, by the issues (2018 Republican primary for Ohio governor)

On fiscal policies, Taylor and Estruth are true limited government fiscal conservatives. When a member of the Ohio House, Mary voted against a Taft tax increase incurring the rage of House leadership that subsequently kicked her off the Finance Committee. Ohio’s population has been in decline for over 15 years with neighboring states more often being the choice for businesses seeking growth opportunities. Taylor/Estruth are committed to reversing this competitive disadvantage.

Taylor vs. DeWine, by the issues: education

This entry is part of a series of guest posts on the governor’s race.  For the rest of the series, go to:

Taylor vs. DeWine: candidate comparison, by the issues (2018 Republican primary for Ohio governor)

On Education, the Taylor/Estruth ticket is the only ticket that has committed to end Common Core, returning control to local school districts and parents. Their plan would establish basic graduation requirements of a minimum GPA, minimum ACT if college-bound, and/or a professional/vocational certification. They are also the only ticket that has pledged to veto HB 512, Governor Kasich’s current bill that consolidates additional power in the governor’s office. Please remember that Mike DeWine’s running mate Jon Husted, as Speaker of the OH House, brought Common Core to Ohio by embracing “Race to the Top”. Fundamentally, we need champions to stand with parents against the over-reach of government, and it is clear that Mary and Nathan are the clear choice to do this.

Taylor vs. DeWine, by the issues: religious freedom

This entry is part of a series of guest posts on the governor’s race.  For the rest of the series, go to:

Taylor vs. DeWine: candidate comparison, by the issues (2018 Republican primary for Ohio governor)

On Marriage and Family, only Mary Taylor and Nathan Estruth have promised to veto HB 160, the sexual orientation/gender identity bill that puts parents and pastors and Christian ministries at risk to the homosexual agenda and lawsuits. Only Mary and Nathan have always stood for one man, one woman marriage, and only Mary and Nathan have publicly voiced their opposition to the taking of minors from parents, something recently done by a judge in Cincinnati. Mike DeWine publicly opposed the Ohio Marriage Amendment and has stated he will continue Governor Kasich’s executive order to declare protected class status based on sexual orientation — which Mary Taylor has said she will end on Day 1. Further, as Attorney General, Mike DeWine refused to stand with Christian business owners who are being persecuted for their belief in Christian marriage. DeWine refused to sign on to support the baker in the Masterpiece case at the U.S. Supreme Court and to defend the florist in the Arlene’s Flowers case in appealing to the Supreme Court, something that dozens of other state Attorney Generals did.